Cometary motions |
| |
| Authors: | B G Marsden |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Mass., USA |
| |
| Abstract: | The history of the study of cometary motions is described, from the pre-Copernican era until the present time, with emphasis on the determination of orbits, the calculation of special perturbations, and the analysis of nongravitational effects. A brief survey is made of the statistics of cometary orbits and of the implications concerning cometary origin and evolution.
1. Pre-Newtonian Ideas
 It is said... that the highest region of the air follows the celestial motion. This is demonstrated by those stars that suddenly appear —I mean those stars that the Greeks calledcometae orpogoniae. The highest region is considered their place of generation, and just like other stars they also rise and set. We can say that this part of the air is deprived of the terrestrial motion because of its great distance from the Earth. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
